MENU GUIDES • 3 min read
What Is a Po’boy Sandwich?
A New Orleans sandwich defined by its bread — and by whether you order it dressed.
A po’boy is a New Orleans sandwich served on French bread with a crisp crust and light, airy inside. Fillings run from fried shrimp and fish to roast beef, and it is either “dressed” with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise, or ordered plain.
A po’boy is a New Orleans sandwich served on French bread — a long loaf with a thin, crackly crust and a light, airy inside. That bread is what makes it a po’boy rather than a sub. The fillings range from fried shrimp and fish to roast beef with gravy, and the sandwich is either “dressed” with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise, or ordered plain.
Where the name comes from
The sandwich dates to 1929, when two former streetcar conductors, Clovis and Bennie Martin, fed striking transit workers from their New Orleans coffee stand. As each striker arrived, the brothers reportedly said “here comes another poor boy” — and the name stuck. They worked with a local baker to develop a long loaf that stayed the same width end to end, so every sandwich cut from it was the same size. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities keeps a fuller account of the origin.
What makes it different from a sub or a hoagie
All three are long sandwiches, but they aren’t interchangeable.
| Po’boy | Sub / hoagie | Cheesesteak | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | New Orleans French bread — crisp crust, airy crumb | Softer, denser roll | Long soft roll |
| Typical filling | Fried seafood, roast beef, ham | Cold cuts, cheese, salad | Griddled sliced beef |
| Served | Hot or cold | Usually cold | Always hot |
| “Dressed” means | Lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo | Varies by shop | Rarely dressed — cheese and onions |
| Origin | New Orleans, 1929 | North-east US | Philadelphia |
The practical difference is the bread. A po’boy loaf shatters slightly when you bite it and soaks up gravy or fryer oil without turning to mush. A sub roll is softer and chewier, which suits cold fillings better than hot ones.
The classic fillings
Fried seafood is the version most people picture, and shrimp is the most ordered. Roast beef with gravy — a “debris” po’boy in New Orleans — is the other classic, and it’s messier by design. Beyond those, most shops build po’boys from whatever they fry or griddle well.
Our po’boy menu runs to nine, including shrimp, fried fish, French dip, hot ham-n-cheese, chicken bacon club, buttermilk buffalo chicken and a meatball sub. Most come in a 7-inch or 12-inch size, so it works either as a single lunch or as something to split.
Ordering a fried seafood po’boy to take away? Ask for the dressing on the side. Mayonnaise and warm fried shrimp in a closed box will soften the crust before you get home.
Dressed or plain?
“Dressed” is the standard New Orleans shorthand for lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise. It’s worth knowing because it changes the sandwich more than people expect:
- Dressed adds crunch and acidity, which cuts through fried fillings
- Plain keeps the focus on the filling and the bread
- Hot fillings like French dip are usually better plain, so the bread stays intact
- Cold or fried fillings almost always benefit from being dressed
What to order alongside one
Fries are the default, and a po’boy plus fries is a full meal for most people. If you’re ordering for two and want variety, a 12-inch cut in half with a portion of wings covers more ground than two sandwiches. Our guide to wing quantities is useful if you’re building a shared order.
If you’re deciding between a po’boy and a cheesesteak, the difference is mostly the bread and whether the filling is fried or griddled — our cheesesteak explainer covers that side of it.
Nine po’boys on the menu
Shrimp, fried fish, French dip and more — in 7-inch and 12-inch sizes.
Frequently asked questions
Is a po’boy the same as a sub?
No. The bread is different — a po’boy uses New Orleans French bread with a crisp crust and airy inside, while a sub uses a softer, denser roll.
What does “dressed” mean on a po’boy?
Lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise. Ordering it plain means none of those.
What is the most popular po’boy filling?
Fried shrimp is the classic, with roast beef in gravy close behind.
Can you get a po’boy in a smaller size?
Yes — most of ours come in a 7-inch as well as a 12-inch.
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